Glossip: See All The Pictures From THE GLOSS All Terroirs Wine Dinner At The Merrion

The All Terroirs Wine Dinner, in partnership with Range Rover, celebrated the great wine terroirs of the world …

As part of THE GLOSS and The Merrion’s Wine Dinner programme of elegant gastronomic evenings at The Garden Room, this special occasion on March 12 was a sensory experience. Guests were treated to a perfectly matched seasonal menu of food and wine, which highlighted six handcrafted wines from small estates and their unique terroirs (the combination of factors including soil, climate, and sunlight that gives wine grapes their distinctive character).

Inspired by the luxury, refinement and all-terrain capability of Range Rover, THE GLOSS Wine Editor Julie Dupouy selected artisan-produced wines from online wine merchant SIYPS, that, due to their terrain or aspect, have been conferred with certain unique characteristics.

More than a hundred guests who managed to secure tickets for this very special occasion were welcomed by GM of The Merrion, Peter MacCann and Publisher and Editor of THE GLOSS, Jane and Sarah McDonnell, as the fabulous Champagne H De Coulmet NV, Pierre Moncuit and canapés were served.

Executive Chef Ed Cooney and THE GLOSS Wine Editor Julie Dupouy

In our experience, great wine and food pairings are created by chefs and sommeliers who build a dish around the wine. In this our Wine Dinners are unique, with sommelier Julie Dupouy and Executive Chef at The Merrion Ed Cooney striking the balance between food flavours and allowing the wine to shine. The starter of Steamed Green Asparagus with a Tarragon Vinaigrette was served with a delicious biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc, Saint-Bris Exogyra Virgula, Domaine Goisot, 2023, a dry and silky wine with a distinctive minerality conferred by its limestone terroir, rich in fossilised oysters. Although asparagus presents a challenge in terms of wine pairing, Julie and Ed created a match made in heaven, with the aromas of pink grapefruit and mango in the wine offsetting the asparagus, trout roe and herb salad accompaniment.

Moving on to the fish course, Julie introduced a Chardonnay (with no oak) to accompany the Seared King Scallops with Amalfi Lemon Butter Sauce, Clams and Mussels, and Chive Honeycomb Tuile. The Macon Nos 5 Terroirs, Famille Paquet, 2023 presented a fresh and vibrant bouquet, revealing lemon and limes, which was picked up by Ed in the dish. A well-structured wine, creamy and very precise “leads to a chiselled and spicy finish”, according to Julie.

The main course featured a fine Etna Rosso Navigabile, Ayunta, 2020. Navigabile means “to be able to be shipped by sail” and historically indicated a merchant’s top wine. Refined and impeccably balanced, it reflected the volcanic terroir of the northern slopes of Mount Etna. The Merrion’s Kildare Spring Lamb Cutlet and Loin with Wild Garlic Mousse was a hit with the wine, not least because Ed created a delicious Sicilian Caponata to serve with it.

We observed the French custom of serving the cheese before dessert, in deference to the nationality of our Wine Editor, in this case a Gubbeen from West Cork and a Saint Hectaire, a particular favourite of Julie’s. Although many assume that red wine is a more obvious match for cheese than white or rosé, Julie declared that this is absolutely not the case. Her chosen red, a Fleurie Roche Guillon, Domaine de Fa, 2022 is a distinguished cru from Beaujolais with an aromatic profile of fresh red fruits and berries, yet with subtle mineral nuances of crushed stone that add depth and complexity. Julie explained that “fleurie” in French means “blossoming”, a true reflection of how this wine and cheese combination felt in reality!

We rounded off the evening with a stunningly pretty Citrus Panna Cotta with Sicilian Orange and Strawberry Sorbet dessert, topped with a Madeleine. The Riesling chosen to pair with this was a showstopping Riesling Scharzhof 2023 from the Egon Muller estate in Germany, one of the most esteemed wine producers in Europe. Located in the renowned Mosel region, with a winemaking heritage spanning 200 years, this occasion presented a special opportunity for guests to taste this special wine. The not-too-sweet Panna Cotta was beautifully matched with the crisp and precise wine, which contains just a discreet presence of residual sugar – a dessert wine that doesn’t conform to the usual sweet profile. It was so vibrant, it was almost “electric”, as described by Julie.

As SIYPS, our wine partner for the event, specialises in wines that are produced with less chemicals, many of them organic or biodynamic, we like to think guests did not wake this morning to a hangover! For more information about Irish wine importer and retailer SIYPS, see www.siyps.com.

Marketing Manager at The Spirit Motor Group and Jaguar Land Rover Ireland, Melanie McCourt and General Manager of The Merrion, Peter MacCann

THE GLOSS and The Merrion Wine Dinners experience is about appreciation of culinary culture and enjoyment at an exclusive level, elegantly interpreted by THE GLOSS Wine Editor Julie Dupouy, and The Merrion’s Executive Chef Ed Cooney and his team. Thank you to all and to our partners, RANGE ROVER.

Click into the gallery to see the guests who attended.